Carnival Celebration: much more than a fun ship (Part1)

March 11, 2023

Even before we flew to Miami, we were very excited to see what the new ship in Carnival‘s fleet has to offer. Of course, one of the biggest curiosities was to find out how Carnival Celebration is a “fun ship”. After all, the shipping company’s motto is “chooseFUN”.

Carnival Celebration is one of the 15 largest cruise ships in the world. But first the facts. Like its sister ship Mardi Gras, it accommodates 5,374 guests (in double occupancy) on 19 decks and can accommodate up to a maximum of 6,500 guests. The tonnage is 183,521 tons. At 344 meters long and 42 meters wide, this Excel-class ship is currently one of the largest in the world. Of the Carnival group, AIDAcosma or Costa Toscana can be placed in the same category.

Departing from Germany, an overnight stay in Miami is mandatory to start the cruise on time and rested the next day. Good morning! An Uber driver will take us directly from the hotel to the cruise terminal. The short trip across the Mac Arthur Causeway makes the heart beat faster. The largest cruise port in the world lives up to its reputation, with several ships moored at the docks. We are not the only guests who want to go on Carnival Celebration, we realize immediately when we arrive at the terminal. The brief moment of shock passes quickly when it becomes clear how quickly and smoothly boarding is taking place. Just 30 minutes after arriving at the terminal, we walk down the gangway to the ship. At the entrance, we are directed through a brief security check with an explanation of procedures and then straight to our cabin. Which is already available, but still not quite ready. However, we can leave our carry-on luggage to begin a short tour of the ship.

Lido Main Pool Celebration

Seafood Shack Celebration

“Lido” zone for sunbathing and partying

The first place we visit is the so-called Lido zone. Carnival Celebration groups the experience areas into a total of six zones. Lido is the classic pool deck in the center of the ship, where relaxed steel drum music and a giant LED screen advertising the ship’s various offerings await us. A welcome cocktail at the RedFrog Tiki Bar, and then we discover “Street Eats.” For the first time on a Carnival ship, small food stands, from kebabs to bao buns, dim sum to special variations of fries (creations that change daily) expand the already well-known and very popular range of Guy’s Burger Joint or Seafood Shack. But my choice to start with are the BlueIguana Cantina tacos.

Slightly full and after having a drink, we go up to deck 17. There I experience the first “wow” moment: the view of the huge ship with Miami as its skyline is simply breathtaking. It is worth taking a selfie before continuing to the bow of the ship. The Florida sun shines and makes the Serenity area (adults only) appear in an even more attractive light. Couches with comfy cushions, shaded alcoves with sun loungers, a small pool, and salad bar for a healthy snack or lunch. And there’s more: the magnificent view of the bow. On many modern ships, this top section is occupied by an exclusive suite area, for whose guests this bow view is reserved. I hope to see Norwegian Encore and Oasis of the Seas ahead of us along the dock as we sail by.

Lido with background Miami

Red Frog TikiBar at lido Celebration

Embarkation day for me always means a visit to the onboard wellness area. There are two reasons for this: there is usually a raffle, which raffles off vouchers for services offered after explanations have been given. And secondly, the entire area is free or accessible with a tour. The Cloud 9 Spa on Carnival Celebration offers a small but refined area with a sauna, steam room, experience showers, and spa pool. A dry Finnish sauna is freely accessible from the locker rooms. I know of more spacious spa areas on other ships, and the prices for admission and treatments are upscale (common for American cruise lines), but on a Caribbean cruise ship, the spa area seems to me to be of secondary importance. The fitness room adjacent to the spa offers a full range of cardio machines and weights in a fairly compact area, as well as an additional room for classes such as yoga or the like subject to a surcharge.

Cloud9

The Cabin: bright and practical with a small bathroom

Our balcony cabin on Deck 10 is sufficiently spacious. The interior design in muted shades of blue, gray, and brown (Which is very fresh, bright, and inviting.) The living area is very spacious, with a useful large illuminated mirror, and a stool with a storage compartment. A refrigerator with a stocked minibar (for a fee) is also part of the cabin amenities. Contrary to my first visual impression, the beds turned out to be very comfortable. There are many U.S. outlets and USB ports for charging equipment. If you are coming from Europe, bring the appropriate adapter with you. The size of the glass shower stall is really sufficient, but the bathroom vestibule is rather small. This means that two people cannot use the bathroom at the same time.

Balcony Stateroom Celebration

I had a particularly pleasant time walking the cabin decks. I really appreciated the variety of decorations on the doors. For us Europeans, it is surprising how much effort and gadgets it takes to decorate one’s cabin on the outside. You can see Christmas, family-themed, or wedding decorations.

Cabin door decoration

It’s time to get on deck for departure. On the Lido Deck, cruise director Lee Manson (who was recently voted Best Cruise Director 2022 by readers of Porthole Cruise and Travel magazine) warms up the atmosphere to the crackling beat of the DJ. What song could be more fitting than “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang. The sun slowly sets behind Miami’s skyscrapers and the city lights come on. At last, the time has come: we begin our Caribbean cruise to the applause of visitors at South Point Pier Park. I change my position and head aft to take fantastic photos of the pool and the Miami skyline. I will remember this moment for a long time.

Stern wiew out of Miami

App and food are closely linked on board

Time to get ready for dinner. We have chosen a flexible mealtime for the voyage and are assigned the main Festivale restaurant on Deck 7. That’s where the Carnival Hub app comes in. There you enter the virtual queue with information about your expected wait time and are notified via a notification as soon as a table becomes available. Then you have 10 minutes to check in at the restaurant front desk. In addition to the main restaurant, Cucina del Capitano (an Italian restaurant) or ChiBang (with Asian and Mexican dishes) are also available for free. This app service works great. Your smartphone will also serve at the table so you can view the drinks and menu via QR code. A paper version is also available upon request. The language on board is English, so information is offered only in that language. In general, when you choose Carnival Cruise Line, you should have some knowledge of English. Alternatively, Spanish may be an option; at least on our trip, there were many Mexicans on board, so there were also on-board announcements in Spanish.

But now back to the dinner. The décor of the main Festivale restaurant is functional; there are no tablecloths. You can expect special service every night, a selected troupe of waiters sings or dance for you. Somehow it reminded me of the tradition of Costa Cruises ships. The selection of dishes is mainly based on North American tastes. There would still be room for improvement in the presentation of dishes. For me, the unusual approach to service is surprising. For example, if you order two appetizers, you get both at the same time, regardless of whether they are both hot or not. In the overall impression, the experience in the main restaurant is average.

Festivale Restaurant

The Gateway – the pre- or post-meal area

After dinner, we turn our attention to a second area of Carnival Celebration – The Gateway. On the starboard side (decks 6 and 7), the Latitudes Bar has an “international flair” with its nostalgic look of former airports or train stations. The board above the bar changes daily and thus creates the atmosphere of a different destination, which is also presented on the stylized window elements and the ceiling of the LED displays using short films. Whether it is Europe, the Far East, or South America, each theme is reflected in the menus that change daily at Emeril’s Bistro 1397 below (all dishes are chargeable). Thus, a culinary journey around the world with matching cocktails is possible in a week. Speaking of bars: the Alchemy Bar, very popular on board, is also part of The Gateway Zone and offers a wide range of drinks. In addition, what I call the “transition area” includes another location, The Golden Jubilee, which was installed for the first time on a Carnival ship. Here live music, cocktails, and most importantly, the history of the shipping company inspire guests. The blueprints of Carnival’s first ships, a historic helm of the first Celebration, a giant model of the new Carnival Celebration, and an exhibition area that tells the company’s decades of history through ship design and details.